"Palais de Steff" has arrived and is a work in progress.
So come on in...grab a cocktail... or the nearest available houseboy and make yourself at home...feel free to wander about or just plonk yourself down and stay a while...
Princess says "Hello and Welcome"!...

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

I'm Not Missing in Action.... I'm just very very busy...

Hello Dhaaarlings...

I can't really blame you for thinking that Princess has probably fallen off the face of the earth... Been abducted by aliens or banged up in an offshore detention centre... (Something of which I am not at all proud)

But really Darlings... I've just been flat out like a lizard drinking... or for those of you not familiar with the ozzie vernacular...

We have ended up with 68 kids in the cast and thisyear includes a Dance/ Ballet troupe of 25 dancers for the all important "Dream Sequence"

I

I've been busily gathering together, various denim jeans, plaid shirts and vests suitable for either cowmen or farmers through my 2 days a week volunteering at the op shop. The bulk of my work there involves developing systems to manage clothing donations and training other volunteers working in the clothing area. Due to the sheer volume of clothing being donated is enormous and the quality of goods varies greatly.

We have so much stuff donated that we are now in a position where we no longer need to wash or repair clothes which saves a lot of time and resources...

I'm still having trouble convincing some of the other volunteers that stuff needs to be culled and am still finding clothing put aside for mending or washing... All of which when discovered by me gets thrown straight in the bin!

When not at the op shop I'm busy at the phaff running up Full Circle skirts for the show and multiple frilled pettitcoats to go underneath them.

There is plenty of work still to do costume wise and volunteers are coming out of the woodwork to offer their assistance and once organised will make my workload lighter...

The Can Can dresses for 5 of the dancers will be a lovely challenge

The Empress remains well and is keeping herself busy and getting out and about... Some days even on her own!

I still continue to take her to doctors appointments at various clinics regularly.

At other times she tires easily and continues to bemoan the fact that she is getting older and can't do what she was able to when yonger...

She too volunteers at the same op shop one day a week but tends to focus more on the shoes that come through the place... again volumes are an issue... but I must say she has become quite brutal in her culling skills, anything with the slightest skuff or wear on the heels or soles goes straight to the bin

We are both helping a friend get through some ongoing mental heath issues... things are slowly getting better for her but we have been kept quite busy over the past couple of months supporting her though this.

Celebrations are in order...

The Empress became a great grandmother for the third time back in February

"Maisie Jane" joins her cousins "Annabelle" and "Zoe"

We'll be meeting Maisie in May as they live interstate.

All are going swimmingly...

That's pretty much where Prinny is at at the moment folks....

Hense the pausity of posts...

I'll pop up some pics of costumes when I have some finished darlings...

Getting banged in a detention centre? Well, really, Princess! I'm surprised you managed to find the time, what with all the costuming, volunteering, and caring you've been doing. And, glad to hear the Empress is well, too.

Congrats on the good health of the Empress--long may she live happily--& cheers to the newest addition to the family, & great job on the donation drive & efforts to make a fantastic show! You are full of energy, strength, inspiration, & drive. We can't wait to see what you come up with.

Best wishes & good health & good fortune to you & yours, Princess!!! Cheers!!!

Dear Miss Scarlet,were the FGES to turn up on the sorting table they would most certainly be a priority for culling... Although your mention of the said er... garment... has almost guilted me into action. And I have a confession, I have been so accustomed to wearing the said garment every day I feel very saddened at the thought of parting with them after all this time. We go everywhere together and to part with them will be like losing a very close and intimate friend. But on the other hand I do think the time has come to pass them on. So over the Easter break while I have some down time... I'll get snapping and surprise you all with the opportunity for a competition. Perhaps they could be accompanied by an additional "Consolation" prize of a pair of frilly pink bloomers?

I wonder if I can procure the talent and time of somone with the skills who could possible produce such a garment???